What makes you fall in love with Shanghai? Lately, the city-wide initiative "Reasons to Love Shanghai" has embarked on a new journey, kicking off at Bauhinia Square in Yangpu District. Celebrated singer-actress Huang Ling, along with Zhou Li, Ambassador for "Stories of Shanghai Architecture" and other celebrities in Shanghai, gathered to share their affection for Shanghai through a variety of performances and discussions.

Many celebrities gather at Bauhinia Square to share "Reasons to Love Shanghai"

"Yangchun noodles, vegetable rice porridge, complemented by a pan-fried steamed bun and eight-treasure rice..." At the sharing session, Huang Ling, a famous singer and actress, and Shanghai native, shared her views on her hometown, the stories behind Shanghainese songs, as well as the inspiration for her Shanghai-themed Vlog. In the heat of the moment, she sang a Shanghainese song about "pork chop with rice cakes", which was met with applause from the audience.

The Sino-German elves Maya and Anton, known for their roles in Myth of Love and Her Story, made a surprise appearance, expressing their admiration for Shanghai's culture. They performed a Shanghainese nursery rhyme with guitar, not only showcasing the charm of the local dialect but also demonstrating the city's embrace of multiculturalism.

"I'm a Shanghai native, and I really love Shanghai. All my friends live here, and I have a particular fondness for the city's diverse attractions, such as Shanghai Zoo, Shanghai Museum, and the Bund—I love them all," Maya said with a grin, "The reasons to love Shanghai are countless."

Furthermore, Xu Ming, the initiator of the "Urban Archaeology" cultural project, recommended a selection of urban archaeology routes steeped in history for the younger generation, guiding them in discovering every corner of the city, and to experience the depth of history and the city's evolution.

Columnist Gan Peng recounted numerous private stories of legendary figures he encountered in his career, all set in the backdrop of Shanghai; Zhou Li, Ambassador for "Stories of Shanghai Architecture", shared with guests and community residents his book dedicated to the city, titled Zhou's Wandering Gaze. The globally acclaimed Peace Hotel Old Jazz Band performed with fervor, resonating with the classic tunes of old Shanghai at Bauhinia Square.

Through a lucky draw on the Jinjing platform, five fortunate community residents also received Reasons to Love Shanghai, Zhou's Wandering Gaze, along with exquisite merchandise from Bauhinia Square.

Shanghai's Cultural and Tourism IP is re-launched with a focus on community life for the first time

A decade ago, the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism launched an online campaign, "Reasons to Love Shanghai", which became a viral topic and a phenomenal cultural IP, chronicling the city's legendary tales.

"Reasons to Love Shanghai" serves as a cultural IP that embodies the essence of Shanghai's urban culture, offering insights into its rich heritage. It is a dynamic platform that showcases the development of Shanghai's urban culture and promotes the city's cultural identity.

In 2021, the publication of Reasons to Love Shanghai captured the delicate connections between 100 people and the city through stories set against the backdrop of Shanghai's seasons and daily life, drawing considerable public interest. In July 2022, Shanghai re-launched the "Reasons to Love Shanghai" campaign, with cultural and tourism directors from all the 16 administrative districts presenting their cultural assets to the city's residents through weekly live streams and WeChat official accounts, amassing over 3 million video views and 5 million online reads and interactions.

In 2024, the "Reasons to Love Shanghai" IP embarks on a new journey as a pivotal Shanghai cultural and tourism brand, sparking the domestic market, energizing urban traffic flows, and enabling every resident and visitor to discover and share their personal "Reasons to Love Shanghai". The campaign integrates various consumer activities during Bauhinia Square's anniversary celebration, deeply presenting the urban charm of Shanghai, fostering a cozy and vibrant consumer atmosphere, and evoking emotional connections with the city, establishing profound ties between communities and businesses. With the campaign IP's enhancement, community malls transform into hubs where culture and daily life intersect, creating a cultural extravaganza that is deeply rooted in communities and resonates with the lives of ordinary people.

Promoting the integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions through New Year themed events

Cultural tourism has become an essential component of a comfortable life, a vital element of a fulfilling life, and a hallmark of a high-quality lifestyle. In recent times, Shanghai's cultural and tourism sector has experienced a robust rebound, characterized by vibrant supply and demand, and numerous standout features. There has been profound integration and cross-sector collaboration between culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions, with the inbound tourism market also showing steady recovery and growth. Shanghai's vision to become a globally renowned tourism destination is progressively transforming from a conceptual blueprint into a tangible reality.

The "Reasons to Love Shanghai" special themed event, featuring a variety of distinctive, diverse, and people-benefiting activities, aims to enhance the quality and scale of Shanghai's cultural and tourism consumption. Looking ahead, these activities will further penetrate various business districts in Shanghai, deepen the integrated development of culture, sports, tourism, commerce, and exhibitions, maximize Shanghai's role as a showcase for fine Chinese traditional culture and solidify its position as the "first stop" for inbound tourism in China, thereby accelerating Shanghai's development into an international consumption hub.

On December 22 and January 1, the "Reasons to Love Shanghai" special themed event will continue with a focus on "City Walk" and the cuisine of Shanghai, with the second and third events taking place at Bauhinia Square in Yangpu. These events promise more exciting routes to explore Shanghai and its delicacies for you to discover.